Lower School (PK-5)

Not only do we introduce children to the 3 R's – we also build a close-knit community of peers who become collaborators and friends.

Lower School students attend classes on one of Blake’s two campuses in Hopkins and Wayzata. Together, the campuses form one large community that serves all Blake students in Pre-K to grade 5. Students come to see themselves as part of a peer-learning community, connecting on classroom and cross-grade-level projects and routinely traveling between campuses for all-school and all-division events.

Building Communities

From pre-kindergarten on, our students think of themselves as members of communities – in and out of the classroom. Classrooms are intimate peer-learning communities. Instruction incorporates numerous collaborative projects and emphasizes shared values:

Citizenship;

Respect for others;

Empathy;

Working together to solve problems.

Social responsibility and global citizenship are emphasized throughout our curriculum and in cocurricular activities. Students come to recognize that they belong to local, regional, national and international communities. Through service learning and other related activities, students form connections that expand their world. See our Community Engagement page for details.

A Challenging & Supportive Environment

The Lower School combines academic rigor with a nurturing, homelike and supportive environment. Our curriculum provides a solid foundation in:

Students learn to set – and meet – high goals in every area. Meanwhile, teachers, learning specialists and counselors are committed to helping children tackle any special challenges they encounter. See our Student Support page for details.

Staying Connected

Teachers and support staff actively maintain connections between the Blake (Hopkins) and Highcroft (Wayzata) campuses. Students travel between campuses for events such as Legacy Day and Olympic Day. They connect with older peers, too – for example, through a “buddy system" program that pairs each kindergartner with a fifth-grade mentor, and through occasional visits to observe Middle and Upper School classes.